Chapter 2: The Gathering
Chapter 2
The sunlight was slowly lowering in the sky. Adalyn used her fingers to measure the space between the Horizon and sun. 4 fingers. Just enough time.
She rolled out of bed and ran a hand through her hair. The nap had been rejuvenating, she wiped the last of sleep from her mind and began humming the song of The Hunt. Using her brush, she gathered her hair back into a high ponytail and tied it with an emerald ribbon. Turning to her closet she took off the pajama bottoms and tank top she had been wearing, and replaced them with the embroidered corset top and green pants. Once they were in place she pulled on the sheer green over dress and zipped it in place. The brown boots with their leave decal toe and pumpkin decals completed her look and made her appear to be the perfect, teen harvest witch. Clothing has changed so much since the days of old, but there was one thing she was unwilling to change. The traditional black cloak fit over the outfit perfectly. Adalyn had a pretty multicolored cloak in the closet that had silver embroidery but she preferred the black.
Adalyn grabbed her small backpack purse and slung it over her shoulder, and headed down stairs. Grandmother Faelyn was sitting at the table cutting deep green ribbon from a spool. The teenager hugged her grandmother from behind and was rewarded with the old woman's chuckling laugh. "Well Adalyn dear, despite your mother's worries you seem to be in good spirits." Faelyn commented and patted her granddaughter's cheek lovingly.
"Of course." Adalyn replied making her way to sit down beside her grandmother and snag a piece of fruit from the basket at the center of the table. The dragon fruit skin peeled away easily with the smallest motions of her mind's blade, revealing the sweet white meat of the fruit and its many tiny seeds. "Afterall, the path has already been laid at my feet. I will do my best to stop this from being a problem but, in truth I will either succeed or fail. If I fail best case scenario I die in the process of trying to stop it, or worst case scenario I survive, but we anger either The Winter King, or the Harvest King and the entire village burns to the ground, starves, or is buried in ice." Her grandmother nodded slowly seeing her grand daughter speak with the wisdom of a witch was still disconcerting. A child should never speak so easily of their own passing. Then again, she wasn't really surprised. Adalyn had always been a practical child… even if a bit morbid.
"Oh, and if you anger the Hunter?" Grandmother asked realizing the small oversite in her plan. Adalyn took a bite of her fruit and savored the flavor for a moment.
"Did you miss the best case option? I die. The Village can live off the harvest if required. We can not, however, live without the Blessing of Harvest or Favor of Winter." Adalyn reasoned as she sat back in her chair and finished the delicious fruit in her hands. Her Grandmother stared at her for a long time, Faelyn wasn't entirely sure how to tell her grandchild her reasoning was flawed. Yes they could live with the other two, if The Hunter really demanded nothing more. What she seemed to forget though, was the Hunter, unlike Winter and Harvest, did not hand off his helm come the first breath of spring.
"Child beware the Flames of the Horned One. If he should come to the dance tonight…" Faelyn began but Adalyn shook her head.
"Stop worrying, Grandmother. I am not even taking a candle tonight. I will not bring about my own destruction." Adalyn assured her grandmother and the old woman sighed. She had no doubt Adalyn would take every precaution but there were some things you could not plan for, most of them having to do with other people. It was strange how human nature worked. Someone with the most intelligent people in the world could be so devoured by greed and dark thirst for power could miss even the most obvious of of warnings the Gods could give.
"I know, child but if things go wrong, and you must face him remember not to stop. Do not show fear, more importantly finish your offering. No matter what he says or does, how he may test you, do not let your guard down for even a mere moment." Faelyn warned her grabbing her Granddaughter's arm and sliding something into her wrist.
Adalyn looked down, seeing the silver, green, and blue embedded stones paired with an iron band that wrapped half way around her wrist. The center stone was clear and beneath it the iron parted so her skin could be seen and on it the etching of the Lyn rune.
"Be safe, you know your manners, even if these other girls do not. Worst case freeze them, call for me, and do your best to appease whatever god you face." Faelyn instructed and Adalyn's other hand came to grasp the bracelet on her wrist and twist it lightly. It was filled with power, but a deep set power stored after many years on a witch's wrist, splashed with witches brew and the fumes of true power.
"Thank you, Grandmother I will guard it well." She kissed Faelyn's forehead and cheeks before turning to hug Rosalyn who was still busy baking away in the kitchen.
"Oh before you go…" Rosaly took something out of the cupboard and slid it into Adalyn's hair. A miniature black hat with a black and orange spider lace ribbon settled into the left side of her hair. The tiny witches hat was maybe 8 inches tall compared to the normal 17 to 20 inch hats with their curled tips. The ribbon was almost larger than the hat and was bunched up and held there by a tiny bat shaped Crest and jeweled hat pins.
"What is this?" Adalyn asked with an excited chuckle as she examined the hat in the kitchen mirror. It looked stunningly stylish, and Adalyn couldn't help but open her traditional. Cloak to take in the full effect of her outfit. She was absolutely stunning. Her mother smiled.
"It was mine when I was a girl. The headband was my first spell. It won't slip." Her mother offered with a bit of a mischievous grin.
"MOM! Frivolous magic? I didn't know you had it in you." Adalyn laughed and her mother smiled a bit secretively.
"You would be surprised the trouble I got up to before you were born. Now go on. We need to head to the Gathering." Rosalyn winked at her daughter and went to help her mother up. Adalyn walked through the stage smoke, letting it coat her one more time before going out into the night.
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The Children's Gathering Site
Adalyn arrived a bit earlier than she had been invited, mainly to oversee preparations. She may not be the head of this coven, but she had the most experience of any of the children from the other 4 core families in this town. Most of the children who were her peers were at the True Gathering tonight, under the protection of their Mothers, Grandmothers, Aunts.
The bonfire was being built according to tradition, but there were some things these girls could not find in books. One example being the spell to light the fire. Adalyn recognized the issue instantly when she saw Princillia doing the chant. Fire magic was based on emotion and the natural flow of the heart, the amount of control Priscilla was putting in honestly hurt Adalyn. She took her cloak off and hung it over a branch before approaching the three girls trying to start the flames.
"Pricillia, step back." Adalyn told her and Pricillia's little palm sized face lit up as she did. She moved back and stood beside Adalyn, eager to see her skills.
"Ady you came!!!" Pricilla glowed with excitement as Adalyn winced at the sudden hug.
"I couldn't let you do this alone. Your trouble magnet, Miss Priss." Adalyn teased the girl who behaved so much younger than herself. She turned her attention back to the fire and let herself feel the passion and warmth of the magic in her very soul, raising a palm to her lips to hide her lips she murmured the power word and blew a delicate kiss to the fire.
The tiny flame ignited in her palm and flew where her mind guided setting the bone fire aflame. There was a squeal of delight while Adalyn silently thanked the fire for coming to her call. "What else needs to be done?" She asked turning to Pricilla who nodded at the log seats.
"We need to put them at the points in threes." Pricillia told her and unease gathered in her heart again.
"Prcillia there are only supposed to be 9 girls." Adalyn commented with a deep frown. It was tradition to leave three seats for the Gods of All Hallows if you intended to summon them but not normally at a children's Gathering.
"It's best to practice as accurately as possible, is it not?" A sweet but not necessarily kind. It was the kind of voice that had intentions beyond the pure. Adalyn knew the soft silver eyes and deep raven hair that accompanied them. She was dressed head to toe in a traditional outfit, the black cloak still resting on her shoulders. Suzan really was beautiful, Adalyn mused quietly.
"True but there are things we must not mimic or the magic will not see us as a younglings gathering." Adalyn reminded her raising a brow and Suzan smiled in a way that pricked the hairs on the back of Adalyn's neck.
"Adalyn, of course! We will not light a single candle." Suzan agreed as she looked at the sky. "The hour is nearly upon us for us to begin. Let's get the chairs set and we shall begin."
"The candles should not even be at the points." Adalyn replied firmly, the magic in the air was strong. It could snap a candle to life if it chose.
"Oh come now, quit worrying so much Adalyn…" Lanie, a carbon copy of Suzan played off her concerns and the other girls followed her lead. Even Pricilla gave her the puppy dog eyes. She considered it a moment, as long as the candles were not lit it should be fine.
"Fine, sheesh. Okay let's get in place." Adalyn took a place at the fire tip, settling into place behind the candle.
"You offend me, Adalyn. You are the highest ranked witch here, you should be at the front." Suzan purred and took Adalyn's hand sitting her in front of the bonfire, center of the three chairs at the point, in a place of power.
"Fine…" Adalyn still felt uncomfortable as they moved her. There was too much planning here. She had to focus.
"Shall we then?" Suzan asked as she walked to her place and Pricilla sat beside her. The knots formed in Adalyn's stomach noticing there was no overseer here.
"That's what I'm afraid of." She muttered S the first prayer began.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone